Motivation: The Driving Force of Success

Motivation: The Driving Force of Success

We are all motivated by something; the drive to succeed, the drive to win, or the drive  to survive! What motivates you is unique to you; everyone that sets out on the mission to start and grow their own small business is driven by something that is their own. Maid Service owners are no different.

Perhaps your personal motivation for being in business for yourself is financial reward; the ability to create unlimited income for yourself and your family. Some service owners are motivated by quality of life issues; being your own boss allows you to set your hours and work days. Many find fulfillment and satisfaction by providing jobs for employees and the sheer challenge that starting and growing your own company involves.

For me personally, I am motivated to work for myself because the alternative seems much more frightening. I often joke when asked why I have launched the various ventures in the industry that I have and I light heartedly always answer with a laugh that, ” I work for myself because I could not hold a real job”. I may be laughing when I say that, but there is an under tone of seriousness in my statement. I cherish my personal freedom and creating my own destiny.

Starting a home cleaning business is not easy; making one work and succeeding is even harder. But the thought of someone else controlling my future scares me more than the fear of setting out on my own. Early on, I realized that the hard work involved is more than worth the pay off.

No matter what motivates you, we all have days when we loose our drive. It inevitably happens to us all at different times for different reasons. We all know that there are situations that come up almost daily that can make you think is the house cleaning industry for me?

When you hit these valleys, take a step back, remove yourself from the situation and get back to the place where you were when you chose to do what you do. Tap into that feeling! Then, take advantage of the incredible opportunities around you, dig in, learn something new. Make plans to take a trip, go see a colleague in another city. Make plans to go the ISSA Interclean show in Chicago. Maybe you take a few days and go to your “special quiet place”, whatever it takes, do it for yourself.

All too often, when business owners loose their spark, they let themselves spiral downward, and unfortunately end up giving up and not continuing on their path. There are too many options available to you today as a home cleaning service owner to let that happen. If you doubt that then you have not been to www.homecleanermagazine.com lately.

So what ever it takes to re-energize and motivate you do it! It could be the best investment you make in your business.

If You Blink,Don’t Worry It is Okay,You’re Covered

Recently, I was accused of “throwing too much information out too quickly” . In a conversation with a service owner, frustration was expressed to me that she felt she did not have time to run her cleaning business and keep up with the activity on Home Cleaner Magazine. She said, “Gosh Perry, if I blink I feel like I have missed something, I paid my money I want to be able to see it all.”

I could detect that she did genuinely feel frustrated; however I took what she said to me as a compliment! (“T”, I hope that is okay with you)

This did make me stop and think about the volume of information we publish almost on a daily basis. Once I thought about it and reflected, I realized how it could be over whelming, especially to a first time reader. This realization prompted me to focus my blog this week on a general over view of how to get the most out of the online content, especially if you do not have time to visit everyday. I hope you find this information helpful and it enhances your “interactive experience” at Home Cleaner Magazine Online.

Articles
New articles and information are published almost everyday. Articles are listed in order by date published, the newest are always on top. The most recent articles are accessible on the home page after the introduction information. Articles are also categorized by topic and area. Readers can access the topics and categories directly on the left side menu of any page.

If you are researching a specific topic you can enter “search keywords” about what you are looking for in the “search block”- located on the left  side of the website, toward the bottom. This feature will “pull up” any related articles and information that matches what you are looking for, example, you want to learn about marketing, you could type in “marketing”, or “marketing on a budget”. The more specific you get, the more your search will narrow down.

Live Industry Discussions
Information about upcoming live discussions is listed just like articles. They are also included in a separate section “Industry Discussions”, located by a link on the top menu of the page. Once subscribers are logged in and open the link, call instructions and times are posted right inside the article itself, so you always have instant access to the call in information. Remember attending the live calls are always FREE for Home Cleaner Magazine subscribers.

If you miss the live call or simply would like a recording, access is available to a recorded download of each call through the HCM online store for only $9.95 ( and additional 15% off). They are available and once purchased for the small fee, are available for instant download. There are also other educational items available at discounted prices from our partners.

Free Online Discussions on Linkedin
In the last two months over 125 owners have gotten “linked in” to the industry discussions hosted by Home Cleaner Magazine. There is no charge. All you need to do to participate is set up your free Linkedin profile if you do not already have one.

A wide range of topics are covered, providing an opportunity for owners to share and exchange information freely. After all, that is what Home Cleaner Magazine is all about, creating ways for professionals in the industry to CONNECT, LEARN, and GROW!

I hope that you find this information useful in enhancing your Home Cleaner Magazine Experience, because “Perry” has no intentions of slowing down, if anything I am just getting started!

How to Choose a Great Home Cleaning Service and Ensure Top Notch Service

Okay, so you are ready for a service to clean your home. Good for you! But, in addition to wanting top-notch service at a fair price, you may ask: “How can I trust someone in my home, or better yet, with a key to my house?”

The demand for professional home cleaning services continues to grow. More and more people are realizing that outsourcing these, sometimes less than desirable tasks, can have a great return on investment. Often, the biggest pay off for hiring a home cleaning service is not just the time you are not cleaning, but the total time – and energy- you reclaim formerly spent dreading or avoiding cleaning.

Hiring a service to clean your home is a big decision, with many considerations. Trust is vital since it is, after all, your personal space. All too often customers are not asking the right questions or doing their homework.

Two Big Issues

Deal with a professional company - There are many persons or “private parties” that will clean your home and may do a good job. However, if you hire an individual rather than a company to clean your home and pay them a certain amount in a year; you are their employer. If they fail to pay proper taxes on the money you pay them, you could end up being liable (not to mention the next time you are up for a cabinet position, this is sure to end up all over CNN!) Also, if someone comes into your home to work for you, and is hurt or injured, you could be liable.

When you hire a professional maid service, you are, ideally, avoiding all these risks. The service owner should carry the burden of payroll taxes, Worker’s Compensation, and liability insurance. A professional service will also offer training for their employees. All of the risk and liability is no longer your responsibility as the customer. That kind of peace of mind is worth an extra $20. Isn’t it?

Go for professional, but not on image alone – Just because a business has glossy business cards, and a Web site that rivals Microsoft, you still need to do your homework. Keep these questions in mind when making your decision on which cleaning company to hire:

1. Who will be cleaning my house? Do they use employees or independent contractors? Whatever the answer is, you need reassurance that you are getting the protections that should come with a professional service. Do they use individuals or teams? Ask them why they use the model they do. Different business models work for different reasons. Just be sure the company you want to hire is doing it for the right reasons. The IRS has a useful guide on their Web site to determine what defines an employee and independent contractor relationship.
2. Do they perform criminal background checks and pre-screen employees? Every service should have a policy for background checks and pre-screening employees. With today’s technology, even the smallest company has access to low cost tools over the Internet. You will want to know the policy they follow and what their process is for due diligence when hiring.
3. Are they properly insured? Insurance includes general liability insurance and Workers Compensation. It does not hurt to ask for a copy of insurance certificates. As much as insurance costs, they should be more than happy to show it to you.
4. Do they offer a satisfaction guarantee? What does it entail? How long after the service is performed, do I have to call to report problems that need to be addressed? No matter how good a service is, or how great the employee training program, it is imperfect human beings cleaning the house. As the customer, you should have reassurance that if the team has a “bad day”, the company will make it right.
5. Who will have the key to my house? What is the policy? How can I be sure I am safe? This should be a huge concern, and most customers don’t think to ask this question. Are the keys signed out each day? How are the keys kept at other times? Where are they kept? Are they locked up? Who is responsible for them? If they were to be lost or stolen, are there any markings that identify where they go? Make sure there is nothing to identify your address on the key. Also, ask up front, in the event the key is lost or stolen, what is the replace / re-key policy?
6. “Are you bonded?” Please don’t ask this, and tell all of your friends, family, and loved ones that this is not the question to ask. All joking aside, don’t even bother asking this. It really means nothing except in extreme cases. How a bond works is that it is purchased (it is not insurance, but insurance agents issue them) usually for as little as $200 a year for a small company. Why is a bond so cheap? They are low in price because there are rarely any claims paid out on them. A bond will pay if an employee is caught stealing, is tried, and convicted. In the days before the information superhighway, thoroughly checking into a person’s background was beyond the means of most small companies. In years past, the hiring process was hard to navigate and “situations” would occur. With all of the tools available today, every small business owner has easy access to evaluate whom they are hiring to clean your home. With that being said, most home cleaning companies go ahead and buy the bond just simply because it is easier to spend the $200 bucks a year and politely answer when asked, “yes we are bonded”, rather than going into the above narrative. Also, just imagine how cool you will look when you are in a group discussing this at the cocktail party, when the subject of cleaning services comes up!
7. Are you both on the same page? All too often, the culprit of the cleaning service-customer relationship going south is a lack of communication. An astute cleaning service owner should walk you through what their service will do for you and your home and give you a clear picture of what you can expect. Be sure that you pay attention to what they tell you. Better yet, perhaps they have flashy print materials that also convey what their service can offer you. Everyone has their “hot buttons” (what clean means to them); what one person thinks is clean may not be “clean” to another person. It’s just human nature. For some people it is the bed made just the right way; for others, it is a clean sink. Figure out where you fall from one end to the other in the spectrum of being picky. If what really matters to you is not being done, bring it up. You should not simply assume that it will be done and that they should “just know”.
8. What should I do if I am not happy with the service I receive? Perhaps it is not until the first, second, or third cleaning that you discover what your cleaning “hot buttons” are. (Side note: pay attention to what these are. It can save you YEARS of therapy if you pay close attention to what they are).

I hope that some of these discoveries will be good things your professional maid service team has done that you did not expect to impact you the way they did. However, if you find “things” that grate your nerves, you should address them. Make sure it was not simply the day at the office that is affecting your perspective. CALL, express your concerns to the owner/ manager. Believe it or not, the most successful service owners APPRECIATE and welcome constructive criticism. It is the best way to build a better business, and professionals will see your input as a gift. If it is something small, let it slide until the next visit. If it does matter to you, then ask that they send the team back to correct it. They should be happy to do so as soon as reasonably possible. Remember, this is an intimate relationship and relationships require communication; relationships without communication fail!

Now you know what to ask (and you have a few other unsolicited pieces of life changing advice to boot). Ask the right questions; receive the great service you need and enjoy. It is sure to add to the quality of your life. A little insight: the best days will be when you forget the cleaning team is coming and you come home to a clean fresh smelling home … Nice!

Don’t Waste Your Time with Spring Cleaning When You Could Be Playing Outside

Chances are when spring rolls around and the sunlight starts to shine through your windows, you begin to notice dust, perhaps the windows suddenly look dirtier than they did before. You think, “well, it’s time for spring cleaning”. Well, think again, and if you’re in the mood, head outside and play in the sunshine, maybe even digging in the dirt!

Society is automatically wired and programmed to “spring clean”, but if a deep, thoroughly cleaned home is what you want, spring is really not the best time to do it. The reality is, Fall is a far better time to do a more thorough cleaning. It will last longer.

Okay, now you are shaking your head in disbelief, but please, keep reading … I am right. I know your mom, your grandma, and her mom, and it seems everyone else, all know that spring is for “spring cleaning”.

First let’s dig into why we have been sold these goods when we could be outside enjoying the fabulous weather. It all started hundreds of years ago when homes became homes. Before modern times of efficient heating, homes were closed up as tight as they could be for the cold winter months. Heating choices were dirty, usually fireplaces, coal burning stoves, kerosene heaters, etc.

For months, people heated their homes with these smelly, dirty fuels. Everything from the walls to the rugs would be covered in smoke and soot by the time spring rolled around and the house could be opened back up. So it was natural to “spring clean”. Walls would have to be scrubbed, bedding and rugs taken outside and beat until they couldn’t be beat any more.

Now, luckily, options for home heating are much cleaner and healthier. Homes do not get nearly as dirty during the winter months; if anything – because they are closed up – they get less dirty during this time. So, that makes Fall the most opportune time to “go the extra mile” when cleaning. It will last longer if you do.

However, if you are genetically hardwired to do your “spring cleaning”, then by all means do it and have fun. If it takes spring to get you to think about your baseboards and windows then more power to you. I am sure there are many home cleaning services you can find  on The Housekeeping Channel that will clean your home any time of the year.

Whether or not you choose to break out of this cycle, become a rebel and say, “no more!”, or if you just stay in the same pattern, do take some time and enjoy the beauty of spring!

Easy to Get Into, Hard to Stay In

That about sums up the professional home cleaning industry wouldn’t you say?

Anyone with a good set of equipment, a business license, and general liability insurance can start a home cleaning company. Go to the business section of any bookstore and in the start-up book section you will find book after book, with authors and so called “experts” writing about how easy it is to start a maid service.

Home-based cleaning services can be found in just about every book that has a title along the lines of “Top 100 Home Based Businesses”, or “Easy Businesses to Start for Under $100”, while the latter title is quite a stretch even in the most ideal situations, it is true, you can have a legitimate, legal home cleaning company for a very small amount of capital, combined with the willingness to invest a great deal of “sweat equity”.

What most, or really of all these books fail to tell you is the rest of the story. Yes, it is true that a home cleaning service can be built up rather quickly, in a matter of months you  can combine hard work with great service and create a great income for yourself. If you choose to hire employees you can even experience significant growth beyond that.

What is usually left out, is that to run a professional “company”, and not creating a “job” for yourself ,it takes a wide range of skill sets, most people do not individually posses all of them. There is a vast difference between building a company and creating a job.

There are many complex relationships to navigate, everything from cleaning technicians and what all comes with that, to demanding customers. Many service owners find themselves in over their heads once the business starts to grow beyond just them. Managing and juggling the relationship aspect of a home cleaning company requires the development of a keen management style and finesse.

Another area that small service owners tend to bite off more than they can chew is in the area of finances. This area can seem very complex even with a very small company. All too often everyone is caught up in ensuring the homes are cleaned and the customers are happy and the books are a second thought, many times to the detriment of the business. It is extremely important for the owner(s) to understand cash flow, profit and loss statements, and the rest of important financial statements that paint a picture of the overall “financial health” of the business. This should serve as a road map for the future.

If you have not already read “The E Myth” by Michael Gerber, I highly suggest you get the book today! It discusses in detail how a person can love what they do, be really good at it, turn it into a business and then completely end up hating the outcome.

Okay, so it is not all gloom and doom. Running a business can be the greatest challenge you ever take on, as an individual, or as a team. If you are in a situation in your own company and you feel overwhelmed or stress from a particular area, then perhaps it is time to seek outside help with that part. If when growing your business you hit a road block, you need to decide if you apply yourself, dig in and learn the skills you need to master it, or do you look for someone to fill that seat that posses those skills.

As your company grows it will be necessary to hire others and give them responsibility. One of the greatest things you can do for your company and yourself is to recognize the parts you are good at, keep doing those, and then find others for the areas you are not!

Reasons to Connect with Other Professionals in the Home Cleaning Industry

I love the home cleaning industry; it is made up of the nicest people one could ever want to meet, work with, and become friends. In my unique position in the industry I have the opportunity to talk with many cleaning service owners, from across the United States and all over the world. On a typical day, I speak directly with no less than five to ten service owners. This serves more than one purpose for me.
First off on a personal level, I LOVE IT; this is the part that has always kept me going through the years, when many wondered why I was on this crazy mission. Years ago, especially in the first years of starting the association, it would get pretty lonely and isolated, I bet sometimes you feel the same way in your cleaning business. I soon realized that if I was having a particularly bad, or trying day, all it took was a brief conversation with an eager cleaning service owner or two to set me back on my way. It is the people that have fueled my passion for making industry wide changes for professional house cleaning businesses.
Second, talking with owners of home cleaning businesses and hearing directly from them about what is going on in their businesses allows me to keep a pulse on the industry. I am able to take what I hear from the many cleaning service owners I speak with and gauge what is going on in the industry. Many times a good idea for an article turns into a great idea when I talk with several service owners all facing the same issue.
So, why am I sharing all of this with you now? You can do the same thing! Pick up the phone, call your colleagues in the industry. You may not be writing the next great article for a publication like Home Cleaner Magazine, but you can connect, learn, and grow from building and cultivating your own relationships with fellow owners of maid services. This can be good for you even if you have not already in business yet, maybe you are just starting a professional house cleaning business. It is never to early to start making valuable connections.
Perhaps you strike up a new friendship with a service owner/ owners that may not be your direct competitor but just outside your service area. You know they are out there. Just look in the yellow pages, pick up the phone and call them. Make a lunch date, have regular phone calls, and keep each other in the loop.
Another great idea to build a strong relationship and have some fun along the way is to take advantage of relationships you build in organizations like Myhousecleaningbiz.com and ARCSI. Plan a “working vacation”, go visit a new place you’ve wanted to visit and schedule some time with maid service owners in the area. Spend time talking, take a tour of their operation, seeing first hand how others “do it”. They will love to hear your ideas. Not only will you have an incredible learning and sharing experience, you will be able to write much, if not most, of your travel expenses off as a business expense!
You will find that this type of networking will be the most valuable investment of your time and without a doubt be very empowering and fuel your own enthusiasm for your home cleaning business!
Perry D. Phillips, Jr.
Publisher, Home Cleaner Magazine

Welcome to My Point of View

Welcome to my Point of View. Here I share my insights into the professional home cleaning industry. As the Publisher of Home Cleaner Magazine I have the opportunity to interact with a wide range of stakeholders, cleaning service owners, vendors, and other organizations.

The relationships I have developed over the years in my different roles in the industry now allow me to gain an intimate pulse that helps keep me on the forefront of trends in the professional house cleaning industry.

I hope that you enjoy the posts here and benefit from the information and insight you find, and are able to take this information , turn it into knowledge that you can use to grow your maid service and succeed!